Select Joker Screenings to Be Policed With NYPD Undercover Tactics for Opening Weekend

"This is 360-degree policing approach."

The New York City Police Department will be increasing its presence, both in and out of uniform, by deploying undercover officers to Joker screenings in select locations for the DC film's opening weekend.

In addition to visibly policing theaters that are scheduled to show the R-rated film, Deadline reports that undercover tactics will be rolled out for screenings in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, as an extra security measure for cinemagoers.

"This is 360-degree policing approach to ensure safety for ticket buyers in their seats, as well as on the streets," a law enforcement official said. "If something happens inside one of the screenings, we intend to be able to pacify the situation quickly and conclusively."

An NYPD spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that "there are no specific or credible threats at this time" in regards to the opening of Joker.

Speaking to Vanity Fair in a story published on October 1, Phoenix addressed some of the pushback, saying that he "didn’t imagine that it would be smooth sailing" as it is "a difficult film", though he believes "in some ways, it’s good that people are having a strong reaction to it."

In our review of Joker, we called it a masterpiece and said, "Joaquin Phoenix's fully committed performance and Todd Phillips' masterful albeit loose reinvention of the DC source material make Joker a film that should leave comic book fans and non-fans alike disturbed and moved in all the right ways."

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.